Cattle and Sheep Standards and Guidelines Q&A

The Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for cattle and sheep can be found.

Animal Health Australia has developed information to help their members and other stakeholders remain informed about the development of the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Cattle and the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Sheep.

To do this, they have developed a series of common questions and answers as well as a detailed timeline for cattle and a detailed timeline for sheep.

A review of the Model Codes of Practice (MCOP) in 2005 recommended they be converted into Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines. Animal Health Australia was commissioned by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture (formerly DAFF) to manage the conversion process.

Under the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy (AAWS) and Animal Health Australia (AHA) management, the existing Codes were to be re-written in a new format, to incorporate both the national welfare standards and industry guidelines for each species or enterprise (e.g. saleyards, abattoirs). The task was to re-format each of the 22 existing MCOP into a document that combines Australian Welfare Standards and Guidelines for that species or enterprise.

The conversion process involves a wide range of stakeholders and follows an agreed business plan Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines Development Business Plan.

One of the key objectives of the ‘Australian Animal Welfare Strategy’ (AAWS) was to facilitate consistency of legislation across states and territories for improved and sustainable animal welfare outcomes.

This website gives a progress update, background, consultative process and submissions page on all previous and current standards and guidelines development.